Method of treating dry cleaning fluids



Sept. 20, 1932. H MlLLER 1,878,287

METHOD OF TREATING DRY CLEANING FLUIDS Filed Feb. l, 1928 WATER WASH CHARGE TANK WASHER III! III

ATTORNEY elo Paend sept. zo, 1982 J I T o HARRYivLrILEon onnuiisfnn,V oKLAnoMA V ilrnrnon or ;irnnA'rIne `My invention relates to a method ofv apparatus for dry cleaning and has for its' principal vobject to lprovide for'treatment of dry cleaning fluidssuchas naphthas, benzols, gasoline blends and like solvents,to purify and free such solvents'J of contained foreign matter and disagreeable aromatic elementsV and thereby provide a clean, soft and penetrating fluid for cleaningpurposes. i L lt is also`A an object oftheinvention to impart certain additional Vproperties to the`-so l-"' vents for restoring luster and 'resilience' to i silk, cotton, wool orother materials vthat may betreated by the -solvent 'In accomplishing these other objects of the'invention' ,Ihbring the Cleaning fluidsw into contact with a'rchloride `oflime 'orchlorinatedlime solution, quantities oflwhich'are mixed with the, fluid and carriedl thereby'into f an alkali whereby the action of the alkali on i theifluid'is controlled,-the.reaction forming washer through apipe '10`toa' trapl-l where?` y ahypochlorite for chemicallyv purifying the cleaning fluid after which the fiuid` is passed through a water Wash to remove free ohlorine, and' water soluble i substances. ;The Cleaning;

fluid is then settled to' permit the precipitation of'entrain'ed water: and insolublesolid z is shown inelevation. o o

Referring indetailto the Vdrawin'g: i 1 designates a cone bottomedtank'for'storing a cleaningfluid tobe treate'd, preferably. located below ;the treating appar'atus, later described, and provided with a liller` pipe, a sediment removal pipeS, a Vpipe 4 for removal ofthe fluid, 'and'a'pipe 5 for the return i of the fluid tothejtank. The pipe 4 is con nected througha manifold 6 with a`pump'7 discharging into a line Sconneotedto a Wash-5 'In-,accomplishing this agitation Iprefer to fromfi the i pipe 17 i into thetank adj acent its upper end? and then`VV o downwardly-v toia point fslightly'` above, the: level of the chemicals,` -so 'that' fluid? from the; l'fwer end of the pipe 17 and 'that'fromithef er 9 so that the 'liquidmay b'e elevated from the T'stor'age tank toj'fill ;the washe'r and' through the washer to the treatingappar'atus, as now 1described; The fluid passes'fromthe Inpracticing. my invention I utilie ap'- z paratus,.a preferred form of which is illustrated inV the accompanying drawing,'where-v in' the single ;figures is a verticalsectionalj vi'ew through the' apparatus,`` part 'of which f atQLFluldenterlngthe sumprlses upwardfly through the alkaline solutiomthe ChlorideV` V1,` 1928. 'seriarnal 251,218.:

any solid matter or articles the washer' V may he s'creenedlout`` f 'A cirul'atingpump. l'elevates v .y `the trap 11 and discharges it into a charge i and2 backfiow {tank 13 through line'l, entering thefbottom of the tank. and terminattank,othefluid agitating the charge and liberp'urities in the streamoffluid. The gas liquid and portions of the solution then pass out of o 16 is of smaller diameter than the pipe l-'l'lso 'liquid cannot be forcedthrough the agitating 'above the inlet of pipe 16.

such as a soda'compound, to a llevel indicated of'lime chemically reactingowithz the solution Cleaning fluid, as now described. o

" `To lnsure, maximum purlfication 'offthe infin' counter current's;

eXtend aV branch pipe `V22t ing near its topin a `go )senecl`{'f1i5 todirect thefiui'ddownwar'dly'upon ach'arge of chloride ofilime contained'atthebottom of theV 1 ating. ohlorine gas therefrom to act`` on Viml o is connected with a Vertical-pipe 1`7extendingj (parallel therewith andconnected atitslower end with a sump 5,19 of an ag'itating tank =20. 1 i i fAttention is called to the fact that'the pipe o i that the liquid from the pipe 16 mayexpand V i in the pipel17 and flow` bygravity therethrough'to the 'agitating tank, and sothat' tank under pump pressure, therebyfeliniinat'- ingstatic' andfipermitting complete Vtreatment of' the fluid' in the agitating tank. 'f ShouldV the fluid for' any reason start siphoning from the'tank,th e siphonis broken by'aninwafrdly* l I opening check valve'18'located in a'gooseneok The agitating tank 20 contains 'analka1i, i

to neutralize'the alkal to anl appreciable ex-- tent 'and resulting in the formation ofa hypochlorirte which 'chemicall-y reacts with the' ,o

' `fgoA fluidby the hypochlorit-e, I createiturbulence z in the tank 20. by ecirculating the flui'd there-MV pipe 22 flow in opposite directions to cause counter currents through the chemical, the recirculation being accomplished by a tubular bafle member 23 having fiaring ends 24 and 24' and a Venturi-shaped neck 25V intermediate its ends and adjacent the terminal of the pipe 22, so that fluid entering the venturi 25 Will cause fluid above the bafie member 23 to siphon through the neck and into the chemicals and then upward along the sides thereof, Whereupon part of theV fluidrwill again resiphon and the remainder Will rise, because of its specificv gravity, to a'suhstantially quiescent zone in the top of the tank.

Thus it will be seen that the fluid is thoroughly circulated and Washed through the chemical to become treated thereby,the hypochlorite and compounds formed thereby oXidizing the' organic and other `okidizable matter contained in the cleaning fluid to purify the solvent and destroy bacteria and other organisms and any vegetable and sulphur compounds that may be carried in the solvent, the Chloride of lime in the solution tending to neutralize the alkali and prevent theV fluid from becoming too strongly alkaline.

The tank may also be used as a back flow receiver since any chemical that might for any reason backfi'ow through the pipes 16 and 17 is retained in the tank 13 since, due to their specific gravity, the chemicals se tle to the.

bottom thereof and cannotpass from the inlet of the tank through Athe pump 1'2 into the washer.

The treated fluid flows by gravity from the tank 20 through a pipe 28 leading from the top of the agitating tank into a water Wash tank 29 similar to the agitation tank and containing a Water Wash through which the purified fluid must pass for the elimination of chemicals that may be entrained there- With. The inlet pipe 28 delivers into a `baffle member 30 Within the tank 29 in the same manner as the 4pipe 22 in the preceding tank, to cause a prolonged Wash of the fluid to'ab'- sorb the free Chloride of lime and water soluble substances still remaining in the fluid. The fluid thenpasses out of the Wash tank and gravitates through a pipe 31 into a precipitating tank 32, the siphoning action of the fiuids being broken through vent pipes 33 and 34 on the pipes 28 and 31 respectively.

. The precipitating tank allows for the separation by precipitation of moisture and insoluble solid matter carried by the solvent and comprises a container similar to the storage tank 1 and having a cone-shaped bottom 35 for collecting the precipitate. T prefer to provide a venturi-shaped bafie'-G at the end of the inlet pipe 31 similar to those in the former tanks to circulate the fiuid through a portion of the tank so that the Cleaning fluid rises uniformly to the top and is delivered by hydrostatic pressure due tofithe head carried inthe agitatingand water Wash tanks through a pipe 37 to a filter 38. The static' head is also used to remove precipitated matter through a pipe 39 eXtending from near the point of the cone to above ground and provided With a faucet 40 for draining off the precipitate from time to time as it accumulates in the tank.

The filter comprises a tank 41 having spaced parallel screens 42 and 43 extending across the tank and containing therebetween a filter 'bed 44 such 'as cotton waste, through which the fluid must pass before leaving the filter through a pipe 45 opening into the Washer. The filtering material separates any moisture that may still remain in the fluid, the moisture settling to the bottom of the tank to be drained ofi through a valved pipe 46 in the bottom ofl the tank.

There are times when oily scums and heavy fractions collect Within the filter. They are by-passed from the Washer through a vertical pipe 47 mounted vertically Within the filter and having a funnel-shaped head 48 at its upper end to receive the scum and an open lower end 49 adjacent the bottom of the filter to' receive the heavy fraction. The pipe 47 is also 'provided midway its length With a T fitting connecting a valved pipe 50 With the trap 11 so that the pipe 50 may be opened tov permit the scum and heavy fractions to flow back into the purifying apparatus through the trap. The trap 10 is` of usual construction, being provided with a plurality of screens 51 to catch buttons, lint, and the i like from the washer 9.

In Operating the system above described in carrying out my process, a quantity of chloride of lime, .say about pounds for the average system, is ldissolved in'about 10 gallons of water and poured into a funnel 52 connected by a valved pipe 53 to the charge tank. The

charge upon entering the funnel settles to the bottom of the tank, and a similar proportioned charge of Controlled alkali, such as.

soda ash'or the like, is supplied to the agitating tank through a manhole 54 in the top of the tank. The Water' wash tank is then filled about three-fourths full through a water supplyiline 55. The system is then ready to fill With Cleaning solvent, from'the supply tank, as now described.

The supply pump 7 is *then started to pump the Cleaning fluid from the storage tank 11 through the Washer 9, pipe 10, trap 11 and circulating pump to fill the charge tank, agi

tating tank and washtanks, and finally to fill the precipitating tank,- from. which the fluid is discharged by static head to the filter and through the filter back to, the Washer. As the cleaning fiuid passes through the charge tank and agitating tank, it is chemicallytreated and purified;`

in the water Wash tank the fiuid is relieved of entrained chemicals and other solubles, the remaining foreign matter'later precipitating in lthe precipitating tank'so that the'fluid tively small quantities Lew/8,287 i o i when dischargedinto the washer is a clean,

soft and purified solvent containing relaof Chlorine, hypochloritesand alkali. The supplyl pump is then stopped and is only usedfagain whenit is necessary to replace solvent lost. 'from thef system by vaporization or other Causes.

The circulating pump, however, is continuously operated to pump the dirty solvent rcontaining grit, bacteria, soap fats,vegetable fats and like impurities accumulated in the washer back into the purifying apparatus, where it is repurified return to the washer, so that the purification process is continuous in operation. p i i z Whenit is necessary to add new solvent tol the system, a by-pass 56 in the line Sis opened,

allowing the solventtoflow into the trap' forl a short time to assure supply of Clean solvent to the washer. I-Iowever, the system may -be replenished entirely through the filter by opening the by-pass 56. The old inert che1nthe soda solution.Y i i v By thus treatingthe Cleaning solvent I eliminate the disagreeable aromatic components of sulphur-containingsolvent whlch would, if .present as in ordinary practice,

have a deleterious leffect on the healthof the fluid removes uncertain elements that might i react with dyes in the garments or that might' o tarnish metallic Vornaments and trimmings;

workmen, and provide a solvent that is free of water and suspended matter, that is water-v white and hasV the soft, drypropertiesdesirable for easy penetration'of the 'fabrics to be cleaned so that a. bright flufy and resilient appearance is restored to the fabric without further spotting or other treatment of the 'garments i The chemical treatment ;of the Cleaning I have also foundrthat a solvent thus treated having additional properties imparted by the and conditioned ,for 'w as long as the washer is,V

matter, and filtering the-,fluid to remove ,entrainedmoisturet i i i 2. The process of treating Comprising passing impure Cleaning fluid into contact wltha chlorlne containlng 11me sodry Cleaning'fluid I i lution to take up constituents of the solution, i.

delivering the removing soluble matter, and 'separating the fluid into an alkaline solution'- foristerilizatiom passing the fluid from the lalkaline solution through a water bath for fluid from insolublej'm-atter and entrained moisture.

fluids including 'passing a stream of impure dry Cleaning fluid in Contact with a'chlorine- Containing lime solution for' liberating chlo- 8. The` method 'of treafing' dry Cleaning;

rine gas to load the stream of: fluid with said gas and portions of said lime solution for efi p fecting initial .treatment of the fluid, dividfl' i ving the laden stream, delivering theladen streams in Counter flow into a soda `solution to effect agitation of the solution for produc ingV hypochlorites and effecting action of w lime Carriedbythe fluid on lsaid'l sodasolu- 'i tion to limitthe efl'ect of the soda'solution' on the fluid, and washing the fluid;l

4. The method of treating dry Cleaning l.

fluids includingpassing 'a'stream of impure dry Cleaning fluid in contact with'a chlorinevi rine gas Vand effectjinitial treatment of the Containing lime solution ,for liberatingichlofluid, passing the stream of fluid from the ,first named solution'intojan. alkaline solution i forl secondary treatment of the fluid and re;

action between Consituents ofthe first named ioo solution carried over into the .alkaline solu-'T vtion, andwashing thejfluid.

i In testi'mony whereofI affiX mysignaturefi w a ,HARRY MILLER.

treatment not present in'solvents purified by I ordinary methods is much safer and easier to handle, is' stable, and has a higherlflash point.

What I lClaim and desire to secure by 'Letters Patent is: i i

1. The process jof treating dry Cleaning `fluid Comprising passing Cleaning fluid into Contact with, a Chloride of lime solution for` initial treatment of'rthe fluid, passingthe initially treatedfluid through analkaline solution for sterilization, passing I the fluidl through a water bath forremoving soluble matter, passing the fluid through a quiescentr zone to permit precipitation of4 insoluble 

